Shell-fuse



UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

GEORGE M. nATnAwAY, oF'NEW YORK, N. Y, AssIcNoR To M. cnn-Nor on ELMIRA, NEW YORK,

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,494, dated October 18, 1898.

Application led February 12, 1896. Renewed March 17, 1898. Serial No.6'74,260 (No model.)

To all whom t may concern,.- Be it known that I, GEORGE M. HATHAWAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New- York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shell-Fuses and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine. This invention relates to shells or proj ectiles, and is designed to improve the fuse of that class of shells in which a high-explosive compound is employed to explode the shell; and it consists in the general construction and arrangement of the several parts of the fuse, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed. Y

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide for the explosion of the shell after it has entered or passed through the object at which it is fired. I

A further-object of the invention is to provide for the escape of the gases arising from the explosion of the percussion-cap and the burning of the time-fuse material.

A still further object of the'inventionis to A improve the detonator, and generally to provide for protecting the high-explosive charge from accidental or-premature explosion.

These objects are attained by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whieh- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of a shell, showing my improved fuseand detonator in full line in proper position; and Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of the fuse and detonator. 4 Referring specifically to the figures, the numeral 1 indicates a shell suitably ehambered to contain a high-explosive compound and apertured at its rear end to receive the fuse.

The numeral 2 indicates a fuse, which consists ofa cylindrical body portion 3, which is screwed into the end aperture of the shell, and a tube closed at one end 'and having its other end provided with a flanged head- 3, which is cut with left-hand screw-threads, to be received into the screw-threaded end of the body of the` fuse. The bore of the tube, a fl'hort distanee'from its outer end, is screwend of the threaded a suitable distance to receive a e screwthreaded plug 4, which is provided with a longitudinal bore@ of small diameter and is'for conveniencedesignated as the time fuse plug. The detonator is chargedfwvith a low-grade detonati-ng compound of the kind described in an application filed by me February 14, 1896, Serial No. 579,266, and which is incapable of being exploded by any other 6e means than by a flame. After the detonat ing material has been put into the detonator the time-fuse plug, which has been previously packed with a suitable priming, is `then screwed inte position and an anvil percussion'n 65 cap seated in the small chamber at the outer plug. Y

The body of the fuse is chambered to receive and normally hold in fixed position a.l striker 6, provided with a firing-pin 7,\whieh 7o when the striker is released from its fixed, position is adapted to strike and explode the percussion-cap. The striker is provided with alongitudinal bore 8,throughwhichthe gases arising from the explosion of the percussion- 7 5' cap and burning time-fuse `or retarder are permitted to escape, the percussion-cap be ing-provided with a perforation a to allow said gases to pass through said bore. Leading from the chamber to the outer end of the So fuse-body is a hole 9, by means of which the gases are permitted to escape into the open air. The outer end of this hole is countersunk to receive a conical plug 10, which is held in place by means of soft solder. When 85 the shell is ired from the gun, the soft solder is caused to melt, and when the percussioncap is exploded the gas escaping through the perforations in the cap and through the longitudinal bore ofthe striker blows out the 9'o plug, thus permitting the gas to escape into open air, and thereby preventing any explo@v sive action of the gases which might tend to aiect or disturb tire detonating material or* to s0 impair the time-fuse or retarder as to 95 destroy its function. p

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is`

1. The combination with a suitably-ehamroo bered shell, of a fuse comprising a chambered cylindrical body havingits inner end screw threaded toreceive the screw-threaded end of a detOnatOr-tube, a time-f use plug screwed in the Open end of the tubeand provided with a percussion-cap, and a normallyiixed striker adapted to explode theJpercussiOn-cap upon impact, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a suitably-chambered shell, of a fuse comprising'a vehenlbered body having its inner end screw-threaded and its Outer end perforated and fitted with a conical plug, a detonator carrying a time-fusentted with a perforated percussion-cap, and a 'temporarily-restrained striker provided with a longitudinal bore, whereby the gases are permitted tO escape through the end of the fuse. f

The combination with a suitably-chambered. shell, of a chambered plug Or body adapted to be screwed into the rear. end of the shell, a detOnatOr-tube screwed in the inner end of said plug or body, means for eX- ploding the detonator, and v.a time-fuse or retarder interposed between thedetonator and the means for exploding the same, whereby the shell isexploded after it has entered or passed through the object at which it is fired.

In testimony whereof I av my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

- GEORGE M.- HATHAWAY.

Witnesses:

' J. R. NOTTINGHAM,

L. L: JOHNSON. 

